Anger as judge clears 16 of ski car disaster

All 16 of those charged with negligence after the Kaprun ski-car disaster walked free today, leading to angry protests outside court by relatives of the 155 people killed in the Alpine blaze.

Judge Manfred Seiss, who had a police escort to and from court proceedings in Salzburg, said there was "insufficient evidence" to convict.

But relatives were stunned by the verdict. The 16 carriage operators, technicians and government officials each faced up to five years.

Three of the accused made final statements of sorrow for what one, G¸nther Brennsteiner, called " a chain of unlucky coincidences". Another, Manfred M¸ller, said: "I also lost friends and acquaintances and mourn for them. The accident changed my life."

Thirteen of the accused were cleared of negligence resulting in a fire and three of endangering the community.

After the verdict, more than 100 relatives were joined outside court by members of the Alpine community. They carried placards bearing victims' names and pictures.

One bereaved mother said she was "deeply disappointedsystem". by the justice.

"I cannot believe this verdict, said Kaprun ski shop owner Tarek Fehia, 28. "Somebody didn't do their job properly or take the proper precautions, and they should be made to pay for it."

Fire swept through the crowded cable car on 11 November, 2000, as it carried 161 skiers, snowboarders and a driver through a tunnel on the Kitzsteinhorn glacier.

Among the dead was British ski instructor Kevin Challis, from Dorset. Investigators blamed a defect in a space heater which caused a leaking brake oil to ignite.